San Joaquin County Biographies
This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm
MRS. C. G. SCHNEIDER.
A worthy representative of an old pioneer family, Mrs. C. G. Schneider,
who was in maidenhood Alice Smallfield, was brought by her parents to Stockton,
Cal., when she was one year old and thus has witnessed the development and
progress of her adopted city and county. She has taken a very active part in its
educational development for many years, both as an instructor and as a member of
the board of education. She is a woman of unusual capabilities, broad-minded and
in sympathy with the higher life and in the educational and moral development of
the youth she has been the originator of the Prevocation School in Stockton. Her
father, August A. Smallfield, a native of Kiel, Germany, came to California via
Panama in the early '50s and mined for a time, then settled in Stockton where he
purchased the Weber Avenue Hotel; this was later destroyed by fire and he then
engaged in the grocery business with Adolph Dohrmann as a partner. He was a
member of the Volunteer Fire Department and Charity Lodge of Odd Fellows. He
married Miss Regina Steinhilber and they were the parents of five children:
Albert A., manager Austin Brothers Hardware Store, Stockton, Adolph Dohrmann,
also with Austin Brothers, Mrs. Alice Schneider; Mrs. Carrie Koldinger and
Bernard Nathan are both deceased. Her father passed away in 1868 and her mother
died in 1902.
Alice Smallfield received her education in the public schools of
Stockton and then for eight years was a teacher in the schools of Tehama County;
then for the next thirteen years was a teacher in the Stockton schools. For a
number of years she was the principal of the Lincoln School, originally on the
site of the Little Vineyard school. The Little Vineyard school was the first
school she attended and it was on the same site she was, principal just before
she gave up teaching, at the time of her marriage. Mrs. Schneider is now serving
her third term as a member of the Stockton board of education and devotes the
greater part of her time to this work. It was through her efforts that the
Prevocation School was established in Stockton, which has become so successful.
Here the children study one-half day and the rest of the time is given to
learning trades, such as woodworking, mechanical art, etc., and in this school
many boys have started their trade; she was the first teacher to introduce
phonetics, which has now become universal in the schools of the county. She was
elected one of the fifteen freeholders at the spring election of 1922 to frame a
new city charter for the city of Stockton.
The marriage of Miss Smallfield occurred on September 12, 1901, and
united her with Carl G. Schneider, a native of Wurtemberg, Germany, and they
have one son, Carl A., a student at the University of California. Mr. Schneider
located in Stockton about thirty years ago where he established himself in the
harness business. In 1901 he also opened a trunk and leather goods store on East
Weber Avenue, where he conducts the leading store of its kind, his stock being
large and complete in every detail. Mr. and Mrs. Schneider are active members of
the German Lutheran Church.
History of San Joaquin County, California � Los Angeles, Historic Record Co.,
1923
p 795
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler.